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Designation: F 1838 – 98

Standard Performance Requirements for

Child’s Plastic Chairs for Outdoor Use1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1838; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope (Carbon-Arc Type) With and Without Water for Exposure

1.1 These standard performance requirements establish na-
tionally recognized performance requirements for Class A
(residential) and Class B (nonresidential) child’s plastic chairs
intended for outdoor use.
1.2 These standard performance requirements are not appli-
cable to chaises, multipositional chairs, upholstered chairs, or
other types of furniture.
1.3 These standard performance requirements cover the
performance of product regarding aspects of outdoor weather-
ing, impact, static load, and rear leg testing.
1.4 Products Manufactured from Recycled Plastics:
1.4.1 Products may be manufactured from recycled plastics
as long as the performance requirements are met.
iTeh Standards
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
information only. (https://standards.iteh.ai)
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for
of Nonmetallic Materials5
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 child’s plastic chair, n—for the purposes of these
provisional performance requirements, a molded, upright piece
of furniture with or without arms, having a back in a fixed
position with no moving parts, intended for seating one child,
and having a seat height not less than 9 in. (228 mm) and not
greater than 15 in. (381 mm); for a chair with arms, having a
seat width not less than 10 in. (254 mm) and not greater than
16 in. (406 mm), and for a chair without arms, having a seat
width not less than 10 in. (254 mm) and not greater than 16 in.
(406 mm) (as shown in Fig. 1).
3.1.1.1 Discussion—Class A (residential) child’s plastic

1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the

chairs
home.
are intended for outdoor use by the customer around the

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safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1.1.2 Discussion—Class B (nonresidential) child’s plastic
chairs are intended for outdoor use by the customer in all other
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- areas, including those defined as Class A.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. ASTM F1838-98
4. Significance and Use
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2. Referenced Documents 4.1 Tests and criteria as outlined determine the overall
2.1 ASTM Standards: usability and stability of chairs in an environment simulating
D 638 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics2 the conditions of use.
D 2565 Practice for Operating Xenon Arc-Type Light- 4.2 Tests simulate two types of surfaces:
Exposure Apparatus With and Without Water for Exposure 4.2.1 Smooth surfaces such as linoleum, wet pool decks,
of Plastics 3 etc. The glass testing base (see Fig. 2) is used to simulate this
D 4329 Practice for Operating Light and Water Apparatus surface.
(Fluorescent UV Condensation Type) for Exposure of 4.2.2 Rough surfaces such as wooden decks, outdoor natural
Plastics 4 surfaces, etc. The plywood testing base (see Fig. 3) is used to
D 5033 Guide for the Development of Standards Relating to simulate this surface.
the Proper Use of Recycled Plastics4 5. Apparatus
G 23 Practice for Operating Light-Exposure Apparatus
5.1 Child’s Plastic Chairs, which have been inspected and
have met a manufacturer’s internal quality standards.
1
5.2 One Heavy-Weight Canvas or Leather Bag, 9 6 0.1 in.
These standard performance requirements are under the jurisdiction of ASTM
(228 6 2 mm) in diameter, which shall be measured prior to
Committee F-15 on Consumer Products and are the direct responsibility of
Subcommittee F15.33 on Outdoor Plastic Lawn Furniture. testing to determine stretching, having a total measurement not
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 1998. Published August 1998.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.01.
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.02.
4 5
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.03. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.

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1
 F 1838

NOTE 1—(A) Poly(methyl methacrylate) sheet, 0.25 6 0.03-in. (6 6

0.1-mm) thickness; and (B) AC exterior glue fir plywood sheet, 0.75 6
0.08 in. (19 6 0.2 mm) or greater in thickness.
NOTE 2—(A) and (B) shall be roughly the same dimensions, 48 in.
(1219 mm) or greater.
FIG. 3 Plywood Testing Base

5.4 One Heavy-Weight Canvas or Leather Bag, identical to

NOTE 1—(a) Seat height, chair with or without arms; (b) seat width,
chair with arms; and (c) seat width, chair without arms; (d) leg stance,
measured from back of front leg to back of rear leg.
FIG. 1 Measurements of a Chair
the bag described in 5.2; however, the weight is increased by
addition to the bag of 90 6 0.9 lb (41 6 0.4 kg) of either (1)
additional steel or lead shot or (2) barbell weights distributed
evenly on top of the steel or lead shot, for a total weight of 150
6 1.5 lb (68 6 0.7 kg).
5.5 Glass Testing Base, as shown in Fig. 2.

iTeh Standards
5.6 Plywood Testing Base, as shown in Fig. 3.
6. Conditioning

(https://standards.iteh.ai)
6.1 Precondition all chairs for a minimum of 48 h at 65 to
75°F (18 to 24°C) and a relative humidity of 50 6 15 %, and

Document7.Preview
test subsequently under the same conditions.
General Requirements
7.1 All chairs meeting these standard performance require-
ASTM F1838-98
ments shall be made from polymeric materials that meet the
https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/3f9ef4cb-e66b-409d-b353-a0d436421be1/astm-f1838-98
requirements for outdoor weathering given in Section 8 for
Class A (residential) or Section 9 for Class B (nonresidential).
8. Test Procedure—Class A (Residential)
NOTE 1—(A) Poly(methyl methacrylate) sheet, 0.25 6 0.03-in. (6 6
0.1-mm) thickness; (B) AC exterior glue fir plywood sheet, 0.75 6 0.08 8.1 Initial Inspection—Inspect each chair thoroughly for
in. (19 6 0.2 mm) or greater in thickness; (C) polypropylene microfoam breaks, fractures, cracks, or other structural damage prior to
sheet; 0.7 6 0.01-lb/ft3 (11 6 0.2-kg/m3) density and 0.13 6 0.01-in. (3 testing. Any chairs exhibiting structural damage shall not be
6 0.03-mm) thickness; and (D) glass/tempered sheet, 0.38 6 0.04-in. (10 tested.
6 0.1-mm) thickness. 8.2 Separate chairs may be used to conduct the tests listed in
NOTE 2—(A), (B), (C), and (D) shall be roughly the same dimensions,
8.4-8.9 to comply with 11.1 and 11.2.
48 in. (1219 mm) or greater.
FIG. 2 Glass Testing Base
8.3 Weatherability Test:
8.3.1 Polymeric material used outdoors shall be exposed for
weatherability using accelerated weathering chambers and
shall retain at least 70 % of its original tensile strength.
to exceed 10 in. (254 mm), and filled with steel or lead shot 8.3.2 Specimens to be tested shall be normal 0.125 6
(0.09 to 0.12 in. (2.3 to 3.0 mm) in diameter), to a total weight 0.01-in. (3.2 6 0.03-mm) thick Type 1 tensile test bars
of 60 6 0.6 lb (27 6 0.3 kg). The bag shall be fitted with a injection molded from the same material used in finished chairs
safety cable or other means to prevent it from hitting the glass or tensile bars cut from finished parts, as described in Test
testing base but should not interfere with the test. Method D 638.
5.3 One Heavy-Weight Canvas or Leather Bag, identical to 8.3.3 Tensile Test—Test exposed and non-exposed (control
the bag described in 5.2; however, the weight is increased by samples) tensile bars, in accordance with Test Method D 638,
addition to the bag of 60 6 0.6 lb (27 6 0.3 kg) of either (1) at a testing rate of 2 in. (51 mm)/min.
additional steel or lead shot or (2) barbell weights distributed 8.3.4 The specimens are to be exposed according to one of
evenly on top of the steel or lead shot, for a total weight of 120 the following procedures: (1) 1000 h in accordance with
6 1.2 lb (54 6 0.5 kg). Procedure B of Practice D 2565, using a Type B or BH